Jerome i



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEROME I. IVOOD, OF WILMINGTON, DELAXVARE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO IVILLIAM M. WEST, OF SAME PLACE.

METHOD OF MAKING FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,426, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed January 25, 1889. Serial No. 297,571. (No specimens.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEROME 1. W001), a resident of Vilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented a new and Improved Method of Making Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

The improved fabric,in the making of which the invention consists, is a parchment-like fabric, which can advantageously be used for [O the purposes of ordinary parchment, for Window-shades, or for other purposes where a strong, tough, pliable fabric is required.

The fabric is made in the following manner: For the body of the fabric any fibrous material may be emp1oyed, such as cotton, paper,

wood-pulp, and the like. The fibrous material isfirst soaked in a bath or sizing composcdofrrosin soap dissolved in water. The rosin soap employed is the ordinary com mer- 2o cial rosin soap, which is composed of rosin,

oil, or tallow, and soda or potash. The bath or sizing'should be of about the consistency of milk when the fibrous material is introduced therein. lVhen the material is thor- 2 5 oughly saturated with the sizing, it is hung in a warm room until it is nearly dry; but while still damp it is placed in a bath of chloride of zinc. In preparing the bath of chloride of zinc it is boiled down to a c011- sistency of between to '70 Baum, and is used at a temperature of about lOO Fahrenheit. The material when subjected to this bath is dissolved to a certain extent, and the rosin soap permeates its pores and is thor- 35 oughly incorporated therewith. The resulting product is then passed directly over or between hot rollers. After this the material is allowed to cool, and is then washed in clear water to remove any surplus of the sizing and chemicals. It is then hung in a hot room to 40 dry, and when dry it is given a coating of oil and is then passed through calenders. Any soft or limpid oil may be used, paraffine-oil being preferred. The fabric is then in condition for use.

The chloride of zinc turns the soap into an insoluble mass, closing all the pores of the material, thus making it capable of resisting dampness to a marked extent. Since no paint is applied to the fabric it is not liable to crack or fade and it can be washed and ironed. The material will not show stains or greasemarks. On account of these qualities the fabric. is especially fitted for use as window-shades, and it can be made at less cost than other good mate- 5 5 rials used for the same purpose. Its use, however, is byno means limited to this purpose.

The fabric can be made of any desired thickness, either by using a body fabric of the required thickness or by making it of two or more plies.

I claim as my invention The herein-described method of preparing a fabric, which consists in, first, soaking a fibrous material in abath of rosin soap; second, drying the material; third, subjecting the material while yet damp to a bath of chloride of zinc; fourth, passing it over hot rollers; fifth, washing it; sixth, drying it; seventh, coating it with oil, and, lastly, passing it between calenders, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

; JEROME I. IVOOD.

IVitnesses:

HENRY O. CONRAD, THOMAS GTEEIN. 

